


Glimmer of hope, shards of loss

by Golden_Daughter



Series: Tales Untold, Songs Unsung [1]
Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-05
Updated: 2017-01-05
Packaged: 2018-09-15 00:48:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 432
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9212270
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Golden_Daughter/pseuds/Golden_Daughter
Summary: A glimpse of Elia Martell.Originally written for the Reach Roses' Short Writing Challenge in Thrones Amino.





	

_Elia was happy_ , Oberyn thought, looking at his sister's glowing face, the silver-haired figure of her new husband at her side. _Perhaps I want to convince myself_ , he mused, looking harder at her beloved face. Her dark locks were flowing free, and she was smiling, stopping to decorate a child's hair with a white flower. No, Oberyn realized then. She was truly happy here, as much as she ever had been in Dorne, dancing in the Water Gardens with Arthur and Ashara. Elia was now the Princess of Westeros, not Dorne alone, and she belonged here.

 _Elia was happy_ , Ashara thought, as she threw back her head and laughed at Rhaenys's antics. The child was playing with her cat Balerion, dressing him up in doll clothes. Life in the Red Keep suited her as Rhaegar's wife. She was the sun in the Mad King's darkness. And she was happy, at least for now.

 _Princess Elia was happy_ , Arthur thought. They were at Lord Whent's tourney, and she was hale and hearty. Prince Rhaegar and the Princess were beloved of the smallfolk, and she was carrying a child. Her life, inspite of its ups and downs, was a good one, he reflected, watching Prince Rhaegar unhorse Barristan. Arthur was the most shocked person that day when the Prince rode past the Princess jauntily, crowned Lyanna Stark his Queen of Love and Beauty, and put an end to the shimmering happiness.

 _There is no justice in this world_ , Arthur mused. None. If there was any, neither Lyanna Stark nor Arthur himself would be here. His time at the tower of Joy had left Arthur a bitter man. I caused Dorne's dishonor, Arthur castigated himself. I am Kingsguard, he reminded himself then. But that wasn't enough.

His mind kept wandering back to Princess Elia, her familiar face looking wan and drawn in his mind, all happiness leached out of it. She did not deserve this unfaithful husband of hers.

As Arthur fought on that fateful day, when the little crannogman's poisoned arrow drew out his life, with that seemingly inconsequential dart, his last thought as his purple orbs glazed over was of the Princess. Forgive me for failing you, Princess, he whispered with his dying breath, as another man had whispered 'Lyanna' with his last breath, not so long ago.

Decades later, when Oberyn entered the Red Keep for King Joffrey's wedding, it was Elia who he saw everywhere. Elia, whose blood stained the stones of this castle. Elia, who was raped and murdered. Elia, so vibrant, yet frail. Elia, whose spirit screamed for vengeance.


End file.
